Red Line Question

[fitz]

This may be a stupid question but I am worried and was wondering if I damaged anything. The other night I let my pcar ('88 carrera) run free like the thorough breed that it is and ran the RPMs up. However, at one stop light the car got to quick for my reactions and I went passed redline in first gear. I heard a click in the engine when I shifted and continued with my drive. The car seems fine but I'm just concerned I may have done something to the engine. Also, I never ran a car passed redline before.
Is everything OK with engine? Or did I do something to my car by going passed redline? Also, I heard that these cars have a RPM limiter on them to prevent blowing the engine is this true?

Any answers to these questions would be appreciated.

Thanks
Ron Fitz

[Paul Franssen]

Fitz, don't do that again! But, frankly, if it happened just like you described, I don't think there's too much to worry about. You appear to have overrevved only a very very short time and if right now your car seems to run as before, everything should be ok. Just try not to do it again, though. Yes, these cars have a rev-limiter, and it may be the click you heard in the engine had to do with that, but I think it is that the rev-limiter is only useful as a life-saver in case the car remains too long in gear (on the way up into the gears). In case of mis-shifting down the gears, the engine revs can only react to the traction-gearing, and up she goes into the red. I don't think there's much a rev-limiter can do then, and it's best then, I think, to immediately kick the clutch down so there's no traction (if the road/driving attitude permits it).

[fitz]

Paul,
Thanks for the information this helps calm my mind greatly. I definitely agree with you not to do this again. It's fun to hear the engine go pass 4000 rpms but that redline comes all to quick especially in first and second gear.

Thanks again and I hope your weekend is good....Ron Fitz

[Quicksilver]

You realy have to watch this on the 3.2 because Porsche designed them to use the rod bolts as the rev limiter. (sick joke...)

The rod bolts are stretch to torque design that can't take over 7,000. It is possible to slightly stretch the rod bolt on an over rev and have the resulting loss of preload cause a bearing to spin or rod to go months later.

There is nothing to be gained by worrying but stay away from over revs.


Wayne